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Economic Development Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an economic development officer is $77,200 per annum, before tax, up $16,300 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most economic development officers are employed under a local government award or enterprise agreement, so pay steps with the classification level you are appointed at rather than with performance alone.
- State government and regional development authority roles sit on different bands, and senior positions carrying a portfolio or a team sit higher again.
- Fixed-term roles funded by a specific project can pay well for their duration, but the position ends when the funding does.
The median salary rose by $16,300 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than economic development officer
The largest typical pay rise is $75,900 a year, moving into Policy and Planning Manager.
- Policy and Planning Manager+$75,900/yr
- Urban Planner+$43,200/yr
- Policy Officer+$35,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher economic development officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time economic development officer salary is $77,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Strategy development and Policy analysis and advice tend to command a premium over general economic development officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Policy and Planning Manager pays a typical $75,900 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Economic Development Officer salary questions
How much do economic development officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an economic development officer is $77,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is economic development officer pay rising or falling?
The median economic development officer salary is up $16,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than economic development officer?
Policy and Planning Manager pays a typical $75,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to economic development officer.
Related salaries
- Policy Officer salary
- Policy and Planning Manager salary
- Strategy Manager salary
- Urban Planner salary
- Community Development Officer salary
- Archivist salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.